Blues For Jackie – Kenny Dorham

This blues head from an obscure Jackie McLean session is classic K.D., with tasty stop-time figures and chord substitutions.

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Recording: Jackie McLean - Hipnosis
Recorded on: June 14, 1962
Label: Blue Note (BN-LA 483-J2)
Concert Key: F
Vocal Range: , to
Style: Swing (medium up)

Trumpet - Kenny Dorham
Alto Sax - Jackie McLean
Piano - Sonny Clark
Bass - Butch Warren
Drums - Billy Higgins

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Kenny Dorham - Blues For Jackie

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Melodically simple with plenty of rhythm section activity, this blues head has that characteristic K.D. sound. Like Kenny's Windmill (coming soon), it begins with a pedal on the V (C), leading into B♭7 on the fifth measure by way of B7 in the fourth. The rest of the head has those classic stop-time hits that define many Dorham compositions. The melody begins with slightly angular phrases, becoming simpler, bluesier lines for the stop-time section.

On the lead sheet, we've included some chord substitutions from the last four measures of the head, shown under the staff of the solo changes. These alternate changes are an added twist to blow over. On the recording, Kenny plays the melody twice during his solo, and the rhythm section follows with these changes.

Jackie McLean's session of June 14, 1962, has an unusual history. It was never released as a separate album, but appeared as half of a double LP in 1978, issued as "Hipnosis;" the other half was a 1967 session that also featured trombonist Grachan Moncur III. In 2000 the same 1962 session was released on the CD issue of "Vertigo" alongside a different session from 1963.

This session is notable in that it contains an original composition by each sideman as well as two from Jackie. The rhythm section of Sonny Clark, Butch Warren and Billy Higgins first recorded together on Jackie's 1961 album "A Fickle Sonance" with trumpeter Tommy Turrentine; they are also the rhythm section of the classic Dexter Gordon albums "Go" and "A Swingin' Affair" from August '62.

Kenny Dorham

August 30, 1924 – December 15, 1972

Trumpeter/composer Kenny Dorham was very much on the jazz scene from the mid-1940s through most of the 1960s. He worked and recorded with all the major figures in the modern jazz movement, which includes the legendary Billy Eckstine big band, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk and Max Roach as well as Kenny Clarke, Sonny Stitt, Fats Navarro, J.J. Johnson and many other giants of that period. Read more...

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Blues For Jackie – Kenny Dorham

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